Fun

9 Delicious Appetizers to Impress Your Family and Friends This Holiday Season

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The holidays are now in full swing, and you know what that means—holiday parties.

And whether you're hosting or asked to bring something to eat, we all know appetizers are where it's at.

So break away from the cheese and crackers and bring something new, something that's sure to impress your family and friends straight from Celebrate Every Season with Six Sisters' Stuff.

1. Shrimp Taco Bites

Serves: 12, 2 taco bites per person | Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 8 minutes | Total time: 28 minutes

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Serves: 12, 2 taco bites per person | Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 8 minutes | Total time: 28 minutes

Ingredients:

2 lbs. (12 to 15 count) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

Zest of 1 lime

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 avocado, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

2 teaspoons lime juice

5 green onions, chopped

2 ½ cups sour cream

24 scoop-style tortilla chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees°F. Spray large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray

Spread shrimp out over prepared baking sheet.

In small bowl, combine salt, cumin, chili powder, and lime zest; sprinkle cumin and chili powder mixture over shrimp.

Bake 5 to 8 minutes or until shrimp has turned pink and curls into itself slightly.

While shrimp cooks, combine tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro in medium bowl. Toss with lime juice and set aside.

In separate bowl, mix together chopped green onions and sour cream.

To assemble, fill half of one scoop-style chip with salsa mixture and the other half with sour cream mixture; top with one shrimp each.

2. Sweet Polynesian Meatballs

Yield: About 3 dozen meatballs | Prep time: 20 Minutes | Cook time: 60 minutes | Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, minced

1 teaspoon salt, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 pinches crushed red pepper flakes, divided

1 ½ pounds ground beef

⅔ cup breadcrumbs

⅔ cup milk

2 eggs, beaten

½ teaspoon dried parsley

½ teaspoon pepper

1 (12-oz.) bottle chili sauce

½ cup grape jelly

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray.

Heat oil in large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, until onions are soft and almost translucent. Add garlic and 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes and sauté another 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat, set aside, and allow to cool.

In large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, milk, eggs, parsley, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and 1 pinch crushed red pepper. Stir in cooled onion mixture.

Mix well and form into golf-ball-sized meatballs.

Place meatballs in rows in prepared pan and set aside.

In small saucepan, combine chili sauce and grape jelly over medium heat and stir occasionally 5 to 6 minutes, or until it starts to bubble. Pour sauce over meatballs and bake 1 hour.

Serve over quinoa, brown rice, or white rice with a side of steamed vegetables.

4. Quick and Easy Calzones

Serves: 6 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes | Total time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients: 

1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust

½ cup pizza sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

18 slices pepperoni

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Italian seasoning, to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Roll out the pizza crust and cut it into 6 equal-sized squares.

In the middle of each square, place a portion of the pizza sauce, shredded cheese, and pepperoni.

Fold the dough over into a triangle and use a fork to press along the edges of the triangle to seal it.

Place calzones on prepared baking sheet. Brush tops of each calzone with butter, then sprinkle with Italian seasoning and grated Parmesan cheese.

Place in oven and bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until tops are golden brown. Serve warm with extra pizza sauce for dipping.

4. Cowboy Caviar

Serves: 8 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: n/a | Total time: 10 minutes

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Ingredients:

5 to 6 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14-oz.) can corn, drained

½ medium onion, diced 

1 avocado, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 tablespoons diced jalapeños (more or less, according to taste)

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¾ cup Italian dressing 

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Tortilla chips, for serving

Directions:

In large bowl, gently toss together tomatoes, black beans, corn, onion, avocado, green pepper, and jalapeños. Sprinkle garlic powder on top, then stir in dressing and cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.

5. Turkey Bacon Egg Muffin Cups

Serves: 12 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes

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Ingredients:

12 slices Jennie-O Turkey Bacon

6 slices wheat bread

12 eggs

Salt and pepper, to taste

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

¼ cup sliced green onion

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.

Place piece of turkey bacon around the inside edge of each muffin cup.

Using small circle cookie cutter, cut out 12 circles of bread and place one circle in the bottom of each muffin cup.

Crack egg in each muffin cup on top of the bread. Season with salt and pepper, add sprinkle of cheddar cheese, and garnish with sliced green onion.

Bake 30 minutes, or until egg is set up in the middle.

6. Fresh Bruschetta

Serves: 12 | Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: n/a | Total time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients: 

3 cups diced tomatoes, such as a mixture of Roma, cherry, and grape tomatoes 

2 teaspoons minced garlic 

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 tablespoons freshly chopped basil 

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

1 baguette

Directions:

In large bowl, mix together tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, basil, and balsamic vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover bowl, place in the fridge, and let the flavors meld for at least 15 to 30 minutes. 

Cut baguette in ½-inch slices. Top with a scoop of tomato mixture and serve.

7. Pineapple Cheeseball

Serves: 10 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Chill time: 3 hours | Total time: 3 hours, 10 minutes

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Ingredients: 

2 (8-oz.) bricks cream cheese, softened

1 (8-oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained

¼ cup minced green bell pepper

2 tablespoons minced green onions

2 teaspoons seasoning salt

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Crackers, for serving

Directions:

In large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, crushed pineapple, green pepper, green onions, seasoning, and salt.

Form into ball, place on plate, and cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 3 hours or overnight, until firm and chilled.

Just before serving, place chopped pecans in shallow bowl and roll cheese ball in pecans to coat.

Serve with crackers.

8. Slow Cooker Chili Cheese Dip

Serves: 8 to 10 | Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 3 to 4 hours | Total time: 4 hours, 5 minutes

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Ingredients:

1 (15-oz.) can chili

1 cup salsa 

1 (8-oz.) brick cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus additional for garnishing

1 clove garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

Green onions (optional)

Directions:

Spray ceramic insert of 3- to 4-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Place all ingredients except additional cheese and green onions in slow cooker and mix well. Cook on low 3 to 4 hours, or until completely heated through, stirring twice during cooking time.

Stir well before serving and top with additional shredded cheese and chopped green onions if desired. Serve with chips or your favorite crackers or vegetables.

9. Southwest Baked Egg Rolls

Serves: 6 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes

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Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons minced green onion

2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper

⅓ cup frozen corn

¼ cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

2 tablespoons diced jalapeño peppers, seeded if desired 

1 chicken breast, cooked and finely diced

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon salt

Pinch cayenne pepper

¾ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Egg roll wrappers

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté green onion and bell pepper just until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir in corn, black beans, spinach, and jalapeño peppers, cooking to heat through.

Add diced chicken, cumin, chili powder, salt, and cayenne pepper.

Stir until well blended.

Remove from heat and stir in the cheese.

Fill egg roll wrappers: add about ¼ cup filling to center of wrapper. Fold corner nearest you over filling, tuck in sides, and finish rolling.

Place rolls on prepared baking sheet and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Bake 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauces, such as chipotle sauce, salsa, ranch, and sour cream.


From New Year's Eve to Christmas Day, there is always a good reason to celebrate! Whether you're highlighting a favorite holiday of the month, hosting a party, planning a summer picnic outing, or simply wanting to create a few family memories, Celebrate Every Season with Six Sisters' Stuff is the perfect one-stop resource for great food, new traditions, and family fun.

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